


Cultpocalypse

by h0use0fcards



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Murder, Blood and Violence, First fanfic ever, Kidnapping, Max is 12, Shitty Writing, a shame, both daniel and david are smarter, but she doesnt use it, dadvid, daniel isnt the cute fucking dumbass he is, even though its shitty its pretty decent for my first time, mostly just in the last chapter though, oh noes gwen has a gun, questionable knowledge of how an apocalypse works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 21:34:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17968472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/h0use0fcards/pseuds/h0use0fcards
Summary: "You must stay strong. You have to win this, David. For his sake."They were two of the few remaining survivors. Two with a very... unpleasant relationship with the "Prophet". Now being hunted with a 12-year-old boy's hand in his, David must free the city from his brainwashing clutches, and protect his everything, his little boy, his son.But they were getting closer. Every step they took or every decision they made, they were always a step ahead.Their time is running out.





	1. Wake up call

City lights sprinkled like glitter along the walls as people mingled and strolled along the cobblestone sidewalks, equipped with shopping bags from at least every store on the street or eating according to their diet consisting of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes. Cars zoomed by effortlessly, their tremendous speeds blowing wind in people’s faces. The lush parks in the area were beautiful, with their gigantic trees which made you feel more in tune to nature.

Despite this, the city was not the ideal living condition for David. Even living in the more suburban part of the city wasn’t the life he had hoped for. Still, he called his cramped old apartment room his home. It wasn’t amazing, but it was enough to accommodate him and his snarky, mischievous 12-year-old son, Max, who he had adopted 2 years ago due to his abusive parents. At first, the thought of living with the happiest man in the world seemed too dreadful to bear, but Max had adapted to his new home, a home where people cared about him.

It was like any ordinary weekend for Max. He confined himself in his small room, fiddling with the buttons on hs PS4 controller when David had unexpectedly barged into the room, his typical ear-to-ear grin spread across his face.

Max paused his game and turned his attention to the towering redhead standing beside him.

“Pack some stuff, because we’re going camping!” David chirped.

He couldn’t help but giggle at Max groaning at the word ‘camping’.

Nonetheless, they set off on their trip whether they liked it or not, but none of them were prepared to experience what hell had in store when they returned.

*THE REAL STORY BEGINS*

They trudged through the muddy pathway as it rained harder, (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) their umbrella shielding them from the waterfall pouring down on them. Their footsteps and the rain were the only noise filling in the silence. Not a single passerby, nor a speeding car. David didn’t mind the silence, but Max was genuinely disturbed. Every step felt like a new eye was stalking them. All the life in the city had vanished, frozen in time. It was a ghost town.

He finally gathered the courage to speak. “Where the fuck is everybody?”

David responded with an uneasy “Language, and I don’t know.” Max’s stomach was tied up in knots. Something must’ve happened when they went camping. David watched as Max shoved his hands into the tiny pockets of his hoodie, attempting to hide how distressed he was, but David knew. After living with Max for 2 years, he could read him like a book. He ruffled his black, curly hair and gave him a small smile, contrary to his usual large grins. One that comforted him.

They neared the next turn as they encountered a brunette lady, standing as still as a statue in the middle of the pathway, a sickening smile on her face. David noticed that she was wearing nothing but white, though it was soaking wet (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) from the rain. They locked eyes, and she suddenly animated to life before their very eyes. Grin never leaving, she ran to them as she analysed them, head to toe. Her ominous behavior caused David to back away from her, taking Max with him.

“Sorry ma’am-“

“You must be David and Max.” The lady abruptly interrupted him.

They were taken aback. Had they known this lady? School perhaps?

“Everyone in the city has been looking for you, by request of Prophet Daniel!” She exclaimed.

The two boys’ hair stood on end upon hearing that name. Shivers were sent down their spine. Was it… That Daniel? The insane cultist who tried to kill them twice? David chickled nervously as he backed even further away.

“He would be very pleased to see you. Why don’t you come with me?” She took steps forward, each time David mirroring her move backwards.

“I-I got- uhh.. places to-to go, a-an”

Without warning, the brunette lunged for his wrist, holding it with an iron grip. David squealed, along with Max’s surprised shouts and attempted to break the grip.

“There’s no need to be scared!” She “reassured” him, that menacing smile never once left her face.

“L-Let go of me!”

“Don’t you want to feel safe too?”

That was all it took. Max conjured up as much strength as he could muster and sent an almighty kick to her shins. She winced and loosened her grip on David’s wrist. He yanked his wrist out of her hand and scooped up Max and ran as fast as his legs could go, never looking back and occasionally nearly slipping on the wet slippery ground. He paused to catch his breath in front of his apartment lobby and scanned his surroundings. No one was around. It was deserted, not a single person in the lobby, not even workers or janitors. He and Max bolted up the stairs to their room, practically tripping on their own feet as he fumbled for his keys and shakily unlocked the door, slamming and re-locking the door as they tried to process what had just happened. David’s breath was shaky and he was constantly gasping for air, fresh tears spilling out onto his face. He gulped to try and rid the huge lump in his throat.

What happened next was unexpected.

David snapped back into his surroundings to see the strong hold of Max hugging him tightly, silently stroking his back with his hand. He was slightly shaking as well. He hugged back, cradling him and holding him close. It reminded him of how much he loved Max with all of his heart. How much he would do anything to protect him.  
The feeling just couldn’t shake off though. He now knew what disaster the city has been plunged into.

That Daniel was behind this… The one who has not only tried to kill and poison his kids once, but tried a SECOND time to kill Max was back at it again…  
…and this time, he’s out to hunt them both down.


	2. Time to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they plan their next move, an unexpected guest arrives.

Max roamed his gloomy bedroom, searching for something to distract him from the intense aura that was cast in the apartment. Discovering that he and his father are being hunted down by a maniac that already attempted to kill them in the past was not how he wanted to spend his afternoon. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get that lady out of his mind. That terrifying smile…

Footsteps slowly ascended the stairs, which creaked every so often. The door’s handle turned and it opened, revealing David on the other side, concern and fear stretched all over his face, without a hint of happiness. Without a word, he sat down beside him on the edge of his bed.

“Are you doing alright?” He asked.

“Does it look like I’m doing alright?” Max retorted angrily.

He said nothing back, but instead, he slowly stroked his back, just like he did to him. They endured silence for about a minute.

“..Do you think no one else was in the city because of Daniel?” Max finally spoke up. Ever since that encounter, that was one of the many questions he’d been yearning to ask.

The redhead took some time to think about it, before answering with “No doubt about it.”

Max only nodded. Suddenly, his eyes widened as everything began to make sense. “Daniel must’ve brainwashed the city!”

“Wha-How-“

“The purification sauna! You know - the steam thingy that turns people into brain-dead zombies?” He exclaimed. “He must’ve brainwashed them when we went camping and used them to hunt us down!”

Horror hit David like a brick as he now too not only knew but understood what this meant.

“David… I don’t think we’re safe here anymore.”

“Me neither.” Fear-stricken, David stands and looks down at Max. “Pack your things. Try to only bring valuable items, necessities, and clothes as we need to travel light. Once this is over we can come back. First thing in the morning tomorrow, we’re getting out of here.” He gave a comforting smile, attempting to shine some light through the nightmare they were both experiencing. A nightmare that was unfortunately all too real.

And with that, they got to work. They packed a week’s worth of clothes, toiletries, non-perishable foods and water, money, their phones, and David garnished himself with small weapons and tools – for self-defense, of course.

After that, they placed their bags in David’s room. Some time passed, and the time had come to go to bed, so David led Max up the old wooden stairs to his bedroom.  
“Why can’t we go now? Why do we have to wait until tomorrow to go?” Max suddenly piped in to save them from the unsettling silence.

“Because we’ll be less tired, and all of our strength will be back when we head out. You can’t just keep doing things without recharging.” David lectured, along with a second attempt to smile and lift the mood a bit. He had to stay positive for his boy, but in all reality, he was scared. Scared for him.

“I… don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep tonight.”

David’s smile faltered a bit. “How about you sleep in my room tonight?” The boy gave a sleepy glance at him and mumbled “Mmhalright.”

David could see Max was exhausted, so he picked Max up – which resulted in a few annoyed insults thrown at David and set him down on one side of his bed. He tucked him in and smiled before giving him a kiss on the forehead. (THIS ISNT MAXVID YALL ARE SOME GROSS ASS FUCKS)

“Goodnight Max,” David whispered as he hopped into bed.

 

“G’night Dad…”  
Little did they know that staying for the night was a very.. very bad decision.

\----------------  
*BOOM*

*CRASH*

David awoke with a start. His head pounding, his blood turned cold and his eyes widened in fear upon hearing multiple voices coming from downstairs, along with many large bangs. Heart racing faster than the speed of light, he crept up to the door and opened it slightly, enough to see the shapes of more than 5 people accompanying a tall, blonde man, who wore all white.

They needed to leave, now.

He ran up to Max and shook him vigorously, and his eyes shot open.

“The fu-“

“Shh… we gotta get out of here now!” David whisper yelled. Max suddenly twisted his head to the door. He must’ve heard the voices as well. They raced to grab their already packed bags as the floorboards started creaking. They were coming upstairs. David unlocked and opened the window, revealing the terrifying height they had to jump down.

\----------------  
Grinning wildly, Daniel crept up the stairs ominously, like a predator looking for small, innocent prey. Except David and Max were not innocent. The two did everything in their power to stop his plans of ascension, which greatly displeased Zeemoog. After purifying as many people as he could in the city, Zeemoog granted him permission to do whatever he sickly desired to the two, and the thought of that made Daniel rub his hands together like a giddy child. If he had to wait any longer he was sure he was going to explode. Equipped with a knife in his hands and… other things in his bag, he tip-toed to the door to David’s room and violently swung the door open.

His smile faded as he analysed what was before him. An empty room – with a wide-open window, wind blowing onto the curtains.

\----------------  
The street stretched out as far as David could see, but he kept running until he could not run anymore. He and Max hid in an old, deserted alleyway and collapsed onto the hard muddy concrete, legs burning with pain. He covered his mouth with his hand to control his sharp breathing as Max dug into one of the bags and found a water bottle to give to David. The liquid burned on his dry throat, but he was desperate and chugged half of it in record time. Vision blurring from tears, he glanced over to Max, who was sitting next to him, knees brought up to his chest.

“Is anything going to happen to us anytime soon?” He asked in a dull tone. He turned to face David, their eyes locking. His eyes were bleary, but filled with despair, and it absolutely shattered David’s heart. He pulled him into a tight hug that surprised Max but eventually returned.

“Nothing’s going to happen to us, Max.” He responded, moving some of his hair behind his ear. “I won’t let it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO WEE THAT WAS A CRAZY ONE
> 
> Im gonna see if I can add more dadvid moments and david comforting max and vice versa instead of just running from Daniel lol but heres this crazy shit for now
> 
> Bye
> 
> Originally written on 13/10/18


	3. Is this what it means to love someone?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David reflects.

Icy wind hit the two’s faces and the light sprinkling danced on them as they strolled down the lonely road, seeking any nearby exits from the city. If it didn’t come down to this, David would’ve LOVED to take Max on a hike like this. His attention turned to the small, curly-haired boy walking alongside him, his expression unreadable. The memories flooded back as he clung to David’s hand and inched closer to him. He smiled. Two years ago, Max would’ve killed himself before he would’ve resorted to giving affection to David. Now look at how far they’ve come. He remembered the pessimistic aggravating 10-year-old that would go out of his way to exasperate anyone with authority, while David would smile through it all with ease.

Seeing the tears threatening to fall from his eyes on Parents Day broke David’s heart into millions of pieces. He didn’t understand – why can’t Max’s parents give him the love that he so desperately needs? It was like his eyes were opening for the first time ever. A strong wave of determination hit him, the sudden urge to protect him, to be the loving parent he never got the opportunity to have. The moment Max’s parents never returned to pick him up, he knew he had to fill in that spot for him. Because somebody fucking has to. Over time, he’d grown to love Max, not just as his smartass angry camper, but as his son.

Parenting Max is like a fuzzy blanket. Sometimes it’s too hot to have that blanket over him, or it would irritate him having to keep it wherever he goes, so it would anger him, or he would push you away. But sometimes, it’s the perfect solution to his problems. On bitter, stormy nights, that blanket will always be there by your side to give you that warm, comforting love. That’s the unbreakable bond that they’ve developed. They depend and look out for each other.

Maybe that’s what it means to love someone.

Maybe this young boy that was holding his hand was the blessing that comes from persistence, kindness, and responsibility. Maybe it was his destiny to forget who he was, in order to prioritize and become what someone needs him to be. To be in charge of this boy’s safety, his well-being and his health. To risk everything, even potentially his life, to protect him.

Maybe this is what it means to be a father.

Max to David was the greatest gift he had ever received. He was his whole world, and all those nights of outrage and hatred, tears and restlessness, laughter and amusement were all so worth getting to nurture the sweet boy that he had found deep inside him...

His faint smile faded into a frown as he set his attention back to the long road ahead of them as they walked in silence.

…But Daniel was trying to take his everything away.

And there was no way in hell that he was going to let that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK SO sorry for the short chapter, i just wanted to show off something sYmbOlIC anD beautiful
> 
> it’ll hopefully be a longer chapter next time
> 
> peace


	4. We're gonna be alright...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've been found.

“Where are we going?” Max questioned.

Cold, bleary and exhausted David and Max made their way along the cobblestone footpath. It was an endless void of sidewalks and rusty, abandoned buildings. Not a single form of life was present, and the deafening silence gave the two goosebumps.

“We need to get out of the city,” David replied, anguish quivering in his voice. “Right now we’re on the west side, and that leads to a smaller town where Gwen lives.”

“Then what are we gonna do? We can’t just leave and pretend this never happened.”

He almost stopped in his tracks to ponder that question. They had ran out so prematurely, did they even have a plan? David looked down, only for the two’s eyes to lock.

“I…”

Max raised an eyebrow, impatiently waiting for his question to be answered.

“…I don’t know..”

Max huffed and shook his head, looking back down onto the floor again. “W-Well let’s just get the fuck out of here before that cultist son of a bitch gets our asses killed.” His breathing quickened in pace, silently cursing at himself for stuttering. He fidgeted with his fingers as he hoped David wouldn’t catch on.

“Max?”

He refused to meet eye contact with him. He was suddenly yanked and brought to a back of a crumbling house. David held both of Max’s hands softly as he slowly crouched down to his level.

“You know… it’s okay to feel scared, Max.” he started.

Fuck. He knew, and tears were already starting to bubble to the surface.

“The fuck? I-‘m fine…” He gulped, knowing fully what was going to happen next.

“I’m scared too. I’m scared about what’s going to happen next… scared for you…” David trailed off, engulfed in the raging tornado of horrible thoughts in his head. “…But I want you to know… that I love you, and everything is going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen to us, I promise.” He wrapped his arms around Max and silently held him there as he caved.

He hugged David back and started wailing. “I-I don’t know how he *hic* fucking did t-this!” He exclaimed. David’s shirt was getting wet (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) from all of the tears, but that was the least of his concerns. “I don’t wanna die… I don’t want us to die.” He held onto him for dear life as he kept crying.

“We’re not going to die Max… we’re gonna be alright.” David cooed, ruffling his hair.

"But w-what if we do-"

"Max, If they want you, they're going to have to get through me first. I'll make sure of that." he interrupted in a stern voice. He continued to hug Max until his cries died down to quiet sniffles. They freed themselves of their hug and David cautiously put his hands on Max's shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded silently.

"Alright, let's get moving ag-"

The shrill sound of a car screaming to a halt echoed throughout the neighborhood. They peered out the side of the house in time to see a horde of men in white piling out of a van and splitting off into different directions. They quickly dashed out of their line of sight and searched for somewhere to hide. A huge door dug into the ground immediately caught their attention. A storm cellar.

"Go! In there!" He practically pushed Max to the door and broke it open, stumbling down the stairs as it once again slammed shut. There were multiple boxes, some cabinets, and tables that they were easily able to hide behind. He grabbed his bag and fumbled for his phone. He tapped the contact Gwen and pressed call.

"OH MY GOD DAVID! I saw what happened on the news! No one can even access the city without Daniel and his goons killing or brainwashing them! I was so worried they got you, are you okay?" The voice shouted from the phone.

"Gwen... I need your help."  
\---------------  
They laid there in silence and jumped as the door rattled and creaked open. Footsteps descended down the stairs as David shielded Max from within their hiding spot.

"I got you bud." He whispered into his ear.

Equipped with flashlights, the men dug through the cellar, searching for any signs that they were there.

"Anything in there?" A voice called out from the entrance. A voice they recognized immediately.

Daniel.

"No master... this place looks like it hasn't been touched in a decade."

"Let me take a look." The stairs creaked as he hurriedly walked down and joined them. The flashlight flicked on and he started sorting out every box and moving them aside. Each time he was getting closer to where they were hiding.

*BANG* *BANG*

All men froze and turned to the sound.

"What was that?" One of the men asked.

"Go take a look, I'll keep looking here," Daniel ordered.

"Yes, master." All of the men simultaneously answered creepily, smiling and running back upstairs. As Daniel dumped all of the contents in each box, he noticed something standing out from the dust settled on top.

Handprints. Lots of them, and blending behind the boxes was a small patch of red hair.

He grinned wildly. They were here, and they were his now. He slowly and silently dragged the box away, in order to gain the element of surprise.

"Gotcha-" The element of surprise was not on his side though, because as soon as he revealed himself, David's fist collided with his chin and sent him flying back. As he regained his composure, David stood from where he was hiding.

"David, what are you doing, you idiot?" Max whispered.

"Max, don't get involved in this, stay hidden," David ordered, pushing Max away.

"You're gonna get yourself ki-" Max couldn't finish his sentence before Daniel slammed David against the wall and grabbed his throat, choking him. Struggling for air, he sent enormous kicks to his legs and crotch but they ultimately did nothing as Daniel's grip tightened. His consciousness was slowly slipping away as he attempted to fend him off...  
...  
*WHACK*

As something slammed into the back of Daniel's head, he hit the floor faster than you can say 'Zeemoog and the galactic confederacy' and laid there motionless. As the air filled David's lungs, he gasped and collapsed, his knees digging into the old rugged ground, almost joining Daniel.

"Hey bitches." A voice filled the room. As David searched for the owner of the voice, he looked up, and his heart sank with relief. Standing before him was Gwen, a bloody baseball bat in hand, and Max standing not far behind her. She helped him up and they shared a quick embrace.

"You okay?" she asked. Still panting from the lack of air, he nodded and gave a thumbs up.

"Is he..?" He motioned towards Daniel. Gwen walked over to examine him.

"Nah, Just out cold. We should get going before he wakes up." The three ran up the stairs and rushed to Gwen's car. David and Max hopped in the back while Gwen took the wheel. She put the pedal to the metal, and they zoomed away, leaving Daniel and his men in the dust. The ride was eerily silent, besides David's heavy breathing.

"You're a fucking idiot David... but I'm glad you're okay." Max broke the silence. He refused to look at David.

David smiled. "It's okay, Max. We're safe for now."

Max scoffed. "For now..." He glanced at David before giving him a quick hug, immediately returning to his original position, looking out the window.

"That never happened," he mumbled. David's smile only grew wider.

"Okay, Max."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> about time i fucking updated this holy shit
> 
> why does this feel like every time i write the quality just decreases each time lol
> 
> also the "then what are we gonna do?" is so me because i have no idea what the fuck i should do for this story :')
> 
> oK i should update this soon so byeeee


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max reunites with some old friends.
> 
> Meanwhile, danger still lurks around the corner.

Gwen was forced to look at the blinding sunrise as she drove her two passengers to Sleepy Peak, who were sleeping peacefully. She wondered how someone could fall asleep that easily in a time like this, considering she never got an inch of sleep the past couple of days. Oh, how she would love to get some sleep…

A low growl snapped her out of her reverie. She glanced at her rear view mirror and saw Max groggily rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Morning.” She lazily called, turning her attention back onto the road. Max only grumbled and huffed as he once again shut his eyes closed. Rolling her eyes and smirking, she endured the rest of the car ride in awkward silence.

\---------------  
She took a sharp right turn onto a small but lively street and parked on her driveway next to her ugly tiny house – if you could even call it that. It had a white exterior wall, with a beige roof and dark green shutters on the windows. The concrete path to the front door lazily faded into the grass from how old it was. However, she preferred to use the back door, which was located right next to where she parked. (Side note, this was basically my old house when I used to live in America.)

She opened the door to the back seat of the car to find Max and David sleeping soundly once again. She shook them slightly until they both awoke from their deep sleep.

“We’re here. This is my house.” She held the door open for the two to pile out. While Max’s face lacked expression, David marveled at the small suburban area.

“Wow… it’s so sweet… and so quiet! Oh how I would kill to live in a place like this…” he awed, his smile growing even wider. 

Gwen just rolled her eyes, silently laughing. “Yeah, it’s alright,” She grinned. “Now come on, let’s get you two inside.” The back door creaked open, allowing the three to enter as Gwen closed it and fixed some tea and coffee. David and Max slouched down on her couch, completely succumbed to their train of thought. As Gwen came and set their cups down on the coffee table, she analysed their blank faces.

“You guys alright?” She popped the question. David looked up at her and unexpectedly jumped up and hugged her as tight as he could. She wheezed at this sudden action, but recollected herself and hugged back.

“Thank you so much, Gwen,” He breathed, digging his face into her shoulders. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gwen replied. “Us CBFL’s gotta stick together… even if it’s against a crazy ass cultist… Jesus Christ…” she trailed off, certainly discomforted by the idea. They released, and Gwen finally noticed how fatigued David looked.

“You look like a mess. Get some shut-eye,” she commented. “Go to the room at the end of the hall to your left and sleep there. I’ll take care of Max.” She motioned for the small gap in the walls that was the hallway. The redhead chuckled and nodded, walking away. She turned her attention back to the small boy sitting beside her.

“Right, Max… I know some people who would really like to see you, so I’m gonna take a quick trip across the neighbourhood to get them. I won’t be long, but if you need to, help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” She informed heading for the front door. Max only hummed in response, already bolting to the kitchen.

\---------------  
Footsteps slammed along the concrete path as the voices echoed near the door. Max crept closer to it to hear the voices more clearly.

“So is he here!?”

“What happened? How’d you find them?”

Caught off guard, the door suddenly swung open, making Max tumble and fall down.

“MAX!”

Before he could comprehend the situation before him, multiple strong hands wrapped around him, and sniffles and cries of joy could be heard around the entire house. His eyes widened and a smile grew ever so slightly as he identified who was hugging him.

“Nikki! Neil! Holy shit!” Max shouted, immediately hugging them back. He started shaking as he joined them in their sobbing. As much as he tried to hold back, he couldn’t stop the crying from the events of the week, the relief, and the glee of seeing his friends again after almost a year. The three finally pulled back, wiping their tears with idiotic grins.

“We saw what was happening on the news. Are you guys alright?” Neil spoke up, Nikki nodding in agreement.

“It was fucking crazy, but we’re alright,” Max smirked. Neil was about to reply when Nikki gasped and grabbed everyone’s attention, a lightbulb in her head suddenly switching on.

“Gwen!! Can Max come out and play with us? Pleeeaaase?” She begged. Gwen’s face creased with uncertainty. Her gaze shifted to Max, who simply shrugged.

“I don’t know… we’re supposed to be keeping a low profile-“

“It’ll be fine! They won’t know we’re here, and we haven’t seen him in a year! PleasePleasePleasePleas-“

“Alright! Alright…” Gwen caved. “He can go with you guys, just make sure he’s back in two hours.”

“YAAAAAAY!” She squealed, grabbing Max and Neil’s arms and dashing out the door. As much as Gwen wanted Max to stay here, she couldn’t deny that he needed to relax and have some fun after all he’s gone through.

Although – you guys should know by now – all positive things don’t last for long.

\---------------  
They walked to the vast range of nature and greenery, the trees towering above them and the colourful flowers adding a vibrant pop to its aura. There hid a small set of swings, slides and obstacle courses, though it seemed like it hasn’t been touched in a decade.

“Ta-da!” Nikki prided, flailing her arms in the air.

“Holy shit. How’d you find this place?” Max asked, impressed.

“I go here all the time to climb trees and learn stuff from monkeys!!” She grinned.

“Nikki,” Neil chimed in. “We don’t have any monkeys here, those are-“

“Neil comes along with me all the time too!” She interrupted, not listening to a word he said.

Neil gave an audible sigh. “Only when the internet’s down.” He mumbled, earning an eye roll from Max.

“Come on! Let’s go find a good climbing tree!” She took hold of the boys’ hands and dragged them along with her.

After some trekking, they finally settled on some trees on the opposite sides of the dirt pathway. As Neil clung onto Nikki for dear life as she helped him up a tree, Max sat and leaned against the hard wood of another. It was surprisingly peaceful. The peace that Max didn’t know he wanted until he got it. And he got to spend this peace with his two friends. However, the peace didn’t last long, as the crackling of the leaves and the subtle footsteps were ever so slowly approaching the three…

*CRACK*

*SNAP*

He turned to the noise. The footsteps stopped. He concentrated on the silence, expecting the same noise to resume.

“Did you guys hear something?” Neil asked. Max looked at Neil up on the tree with a slightly concerned look. He didn’t think anyone else heard it. They locked eyes and he nodded. Neil and Nikki shared a look, and they hopped off of the tree at lightning speed.

“We should go,” Neil suggested. Max was quick to join them as they speed walked down the path once more. They didn’t get far as the footsteps began again, but this time at a much, much faster pace. He turned around in time to see a bundle of white before he was grabbed and scooped up against his will. His first instinct was to scream, but before any loud noise was made, his mouth was swiftly covered with a hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted another man in white. Equipped with syringes, the man jabbed one into his neck as he yelped in pain. Everything began to feel fuzzy as he continued to scream and kick. The last thing he saw before fading to unconsciousness was Nikki and Neil running for help.

\---------------  
Gwen was rudely awoken from her slumber by David who looked like he had a full blown panic attack.

“Jesus, David are you alright?” She asked after recognising his state.

“Where’s Max?” David questioned, his voice reaching a higher octave. Gwen mentally facepalmed once it dawned on her that she forgot to tell him.

“Shit.. I completely forgot to tell you,” she sleepily replied, laughing. “Max is hanging out with Nikki and Neil. He should be back soon.”

His tense shoulders relaxed and he fell back onto the couch, sighing with relief. “Oh, okay. Would’ve been better if you had actually told me,” He chuckled. “Will he be alright out there though?”

“He should. This town’s pretty safe.” She said bluntly, and then it all faded into silence. That is until humungous *BANGS* from the door startled them. Jumping up, they raced to the door, to see Nikki and Neil on the other side, panting for air.

But there was no Max…

“D-aniel…” They wheezed, tears threatening to fall from their face. “He… took Max…”

“WHAT!?” The two adults screamed.

“They came out.. of nowhere!” Nikki added. “They charged at us… but we got away.”

“Where were you guys?” David yelled, shaking as if an earthquake had gone off in his body.

“At the nature preserve!” Neil responded. “We were walking back whe-“

"Don’t worry… be happy.  
Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style,  
Ain’t got no gal to make you smile…  
Don’t worry, be happy."

David flicked his phone out of his pockets and stared at the incoming call. His eyes widened in horror as he turned his phone to show everyone. The contact name Max was the caller.

“It’s Max…” David yelped. “He’s calling me…”

“What? How?-“

“ANSWER IT!” Nikki screamed, and David pressed the green button and put the phone to his ear.

“..Max?” He choked out. He silently prayed that he would hear his little boy on the other end, but this time it was not the case.

“Hello, David.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tfw you have to have angst in every single chapter
> 
> Also im a shitty person so hA
> 
> Also also this is the longest chapter I have made so far like why
> 
> okbye


	6. Maternal Instincts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He needs him back.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?" David screamed into the phone.

"No need to fear, David," Daniel mocked. "Max is perfectly safe with me." David was at a loss for words. He walked a fine line between finding Daniel and brutally murdering him, or crying. Before he got the opportunity to speak, Daniel continued.

"However, I would make your way back to your apartment, unless you want something bad to happen to him."

"What... do you mean-"

"Tick Tock, David. I'm giving you four hours to be back there, otherwise, he's gone. For good." Next came a loud beep, and the call ended, leaving David in the silence. His eyes widened and his trembling hands covered his face to muffle his scream as he collapsed onto the floor and cried. Attracting the attention of Gwen, Nikki, and Neil, they ran into the room to see his troubled state.

"Holy shit, are you okay?"

"What the fuck did he say to you?"

He looked up to see the three crouching down at him, shock etched on their faces, expecting an answer.

He gulped. "I have to meet him back at my house in four hours otherwise he'll kill him..." He sniffled. The three exchanged horrified looks as Gwen helped David stand.

"What are we gonna do?" Nikki asked.

"Well, I don't think we have much of a choice other than we need to take David back, I'll help you pack some stuff," Gwen answered. She led David into her room, leaving the two kids in silence. It stayed that way until Nikki groaned as she buried her face into her hands.

"This is my fault... I should've just let him stay home," she mumbled.

"Hey," Neil comforted. "It wasn't your fault. Frankly, I don't think it was anyone's. If he knew they were here, he would've found a way inside the house regardless." Nikki said nothing. Footsteps filled the silence and David and Gwen emerged from the hallway. David remained quiet. All of the joy and hope had evaporated from him, and they were left with this empty, desolate person. The two had garnished themselves of knives and Gwen held a 9mm handgun.

"Woah, how'd you get the guns?" Nikki asked, marveled.

"I'm licensed," Gwen replied bluntly, which Neil raised an eyebrow to.

"Why the hell do you need a license?" Neil questioned.

"Protection."

"And you do realise that if you bring that you're nine times out of ten going to lose that license?" he continued.

She shrugged. "It's a risk I'm willing to take. You guys are gonna have to go back home now, I can't bring you guys along-"

"Wait!" Neil interrupted as an idea sparked in his brain. "What if we can help you?"

David shot Gwen an alarmed look with his dull eyes, but no words came from his mouth.

"What..?" Gwen stammered. "No, I'm not putting you two in danger-"

"Come on Gwen!" Nikki pleaded, her confidence regaining by the second. "I can fight and pounce on people like a wolf! David would know that! And wolves are practically indestructible!" She beamed.

"No, they aren't-"

"And Neil has some really poisonous thingies!" Nikki went on. This caught Gwen's interest. Hesitantly, she glanced at Neil, encouraging him to elaborate.

"They're at my place, I can show you if you let us come with you." He replied, earning a groan from Gwen at the lack of explanation.

"Gwen, what are you..." David trailed off quietly.

"Their house is just a couple of houses down and across, chill," Gwen responded. With that, they all piled out the door and ran to Nikki and Neil's house. (candy and carl got married a year ago during camp) They dashed through the house and into Neil's disastrous room.

"Jesus this is messy as hell..." Gwen commented.

"Better not go in Nikki's room then," Neil replied. As he was digging through his closet, he explained what he was looking for. "My cousin works at a company that manufactures different kinds of guns. Often they make dart guns that can knock someone unconscious, and I may or may not've stolen one from him." He stopped searching. "Aha! Here it is." He came out, holding a small dart gun in his hands. He handed it to Gwen before taking out an average sized container filled with darts.

"Oh my god..." She trailed off. She was - to say the least - shocked and impressed. "Thanks so much Neil, we definitely need this-" Neil suddenly swiped the darts and the gun from her.

"You're only getting these if we can come with you," Neil said. (neil you little shit)

"Neil!" David whined.

"You motherfucker..." Gwen breathed. "Fine, you can come with us."

He held out the contents for Gwen to take again and innocently said "Thanks." They all turned to tiny footsteps stomping against the hard floor and Nikki appeared at the door holding two bottles of milk, grinning. Upon realising her plan, they all smiled too.

The four raced to her car and she zoomed away, the speed limit being the least of her concerns.

\------------------------------

Every time Max tugged, the ropes that bound his wrists and ankles together seemed to get tighter. It was dark. The only sources of light were the boarded up windows and the small lightbulb dangling from above him. It was lonely. He needed David or his friends by his side to comfort him and reassure him that everything was going to be okay. It was scary. He has no idea what that sick fuck Daniel has in store for him, and the thought of it sent spine-tingling shivers. His train of thought was abruptly stopped as the door creaked open, making Max wince at the awful sound. A tall blonde man walked in and shut the door.

"So... how's my little Max doing?" Daniel teased as he walked closer to him until he practically loomed above him.

"Fuck off," Max growled. Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Don't test my patience today, Max. I'm still very upset that you and David tried to run away from me," he audibly sighed. "Nevermind then. Your precious David should be on his way here now anyway." He paused to see Max's reaction, which was trying to contain his fear.

"Oh how exciting this is gonna be..." he kept monologuing. "I've been waiting for this very moment since our last encounter. I don't think you two are very deserving of ascension, or even just plain death. Oh no... I plan to keep you here and torture you until there's nothing you want more than death!" He started cackling as Max fought to keep his 'tough guy' persona. There was no way in hell he was going to give Daniel the satisfaction of fear.

He gulped. "I find it really hard to take you seriously considering that I could just throw a fucking bottle of milk at you and it would most likely kill you." He faked a small chuckle. He hoped he wasn't as great at reading him as David was.

Thankfully he wasn't. "Oh, that won't be a problem. I take pills to help with my lactose intolerance." He smirked. Damn.

"Okay, so are we just gonna fuckin' play chase again, and have you trip on another pebble? I'll pass." He hoped this façade was working as he laughed. "Fuckin' dumbass." He prepared himself for the filthiest lie he could spit out. "I'm not... fucking... scared of you-"

Seething with rage, Daniel whipped out his crooked knife and grabbed the front of Max's hoodie, bringing him closer to his face. He enjoyed Max suddenly shift from being a smartass to being scared shitless.

"You should really watch your mouth, kid," Daniel sneered, his knife threateningly pressing his neck. "It's only going to make things worse." He kept pushing the knife down as Max yelped.

"n-NO! STOP!"

\------------------------------ (because I don't wanna write my poor boy getting tortured, he still has some dignity left)

"Alright, so here's the plan." Gwen recited. Everyone was silent, listening intently. She still kept her eyes on the road, but she still explained everything easily. "Our main goal is to get Max out of harm's way, so David, you do whatever you have to do to get him out of there. If things go south, Nikki and Neil will run in and throw the milk at Daniel. If that doesn't work - which I highly doubt won't happen - I'll run in and shoot him as a last resort. You guys understand?" Everyone nodded.

"Good luck out there David. You got this, you must stay strong. You have to win this, for his sake."

\----------------------------

"Okay, David..." He paced back in forth in front of the entrance to his apartment lobby. "Just find Max and somehow avoid Daniel out while the others take care of anyone else... Oh god." He took a deep breath and pushed the doors open. It was so hauntingly quiet, you could hear a mouse move.

He managed to choke out "H-ello?"

"Ah – perfect, you showed up!" A voice echoed. The owner of the voice revealed himself as an all too familiar man. Daniel.

"Where is he.." David snarled.

"If you come with me, I'll show you." He smiled calmly. There's no way this couldn't be a trap! He looked up the stairs, searching for his room, the place that he and Max called home.

He caught his gaze. "He isn't in your room. Do you want to see him or not?" He asked sternly.

He gulped and huffed. "Fine." He led him down a series of hallways. Every turn they took, he could feel multiple eyes watching him... waiting. His breath hitched as he struggled to stay calm. He had to stay strong for his little boy. Trap or not, nothing is going to stop him from finding him. They stopped at a beaten down wooden door labeled 'Storage'.

"He's just in there," Daniel said. He yanked on the knob and open the door to show David. What he saw almost made his heart stop. There laid Max on the ground, with a line of blood spread across his neck.(im sorry im really sorry) Only when Max turned to look at David did he see the genuine fear on his face.

"MAX!" He attempted to run to him, only to have Daniel pin his hands behind him and hold his dagger up to his neck. David screamed bloody murder as he struggled to get out of his hold.

"Not so fast David..."


	7. The Final Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death or Dignity.

**BLOOD AND VIOLENCE WARNING**

David wondered what he and Max would be doing if they hadn't been forced into this godforsaken mess. Perhaps they would be stuffing their faces with pizza or anticipating the first day of camp without a worry in the world. Instead, their lives were on the line at the hands of someone he once thought of as a friend.

He shouldn't have been so blind when he hired him. He could've avoided this, avoided the monster looming behind him from laying a hand on his son.

"You honestly thought I would let him go that easily?" Daniel snickered lowly, cold metal digging into his neck. He had to think fast. One wrong move could spell disaster.

David desperately searched inside the vacant room for anything he could use against him, but it proved futile.

But as soon as Daniel forcefully dragged David into the room and grabbed a coil of rope, he knew he had to act now.

He brutally elbowed Daniel in the nose and he loosened his grip. David took this as an opportunity to slip out of his grasp as he pivoted toward him.

He had two options: Deal with Daniel first, or go and protect Max. He stared at Daniel with absolute fury in his eyes as he made his decision.

He prepared himself to throw the first punch. Daniel expected the blow and was able to easily block it and mirror it with his own against his jaw. David stumbled back, clenching his jaw in pain. Daniel wasted no time in pouncing as he threw himself onto David and tackled him, the air forcefully being taken from him. Daniel gripped his kris dagger and brought his arm up, ready to plunge into David, but he wasn't giving up so easily. He used both hands to prevent the dagger from going down and pushed his hips to the side. He curled his feet and brought them to Daniel's hips, allowing him to push Daniel back. He violently kicked Daniel in the chin and he doubled over, coughing as blood spilled from his mouth. He silently thanked the mandatory self-defense lessons he had to teach at camp. It was a shame no one listened to it.

David scrambled to his feet as Daniel swung again. David just barely ducked under, responding with a vicious kick to the groin. Daniel winced and paused, distracted. David took this as an opportunity and sent a punch to his nose. The blood pooling out of his nose made David stop and cringe for a small moment. Daniel recollected himself and grabbed David's hips and swung him, throwing him to the ground.

David cried out in pain as he hit the wood floor, his whole body aching and growing tired from the nonstop onslaught. Before he could jump back up, Daniel slammed his foot on his chest and brought a strong hand to his throat. He chuckled as David wheezed and gasped, desperate for air and clawing at his hand.

Still, David kept fighting.

"Will you- quit it!" Daniel's hand squeezed David's throat harder (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) and his struggles seemed to halt, unable to continue with the lack of oxygen in his lungs.

"I'm going to keep you and Max alive, however..." He grabbed his dagger and brought it dangerously close to him. "If you keep this act up, I won't hesitate to drive this straight into your chest before you can even say sorry. Surely you wouldn't want to put your son through that horrible sight, would you?" He threatened.

David's panicked eyes glanced towards the small boy in the corner of the room as he shook his head.

Daniel hopped off him and David gasped loudly, greedily taking as much air as he could while wheezing and coughing. He tried to get up, but the pain was too much and any energy he had was forced out of him.

"Please.. you don't h-ave to do this..." he pleaded as Daniel collected the bundle of rope and started striding towards him.

"HEY!" a high pitched voice called. Everyone froze. Daniel whipped his head around in time to see Nikki and Neil with open milk bottles before he was doused in the product.

Everything was silent for a moment before Daniel's unamused expression faded into a crooked smile and he exploded with laughter. David, Nikki and Neil stared at Daniel with shock and confusion as to how the milk didn't affect him at all.

Daniel's laughs died down to a simper.

"Good thing I took my intolerance pills today, otherwise that would've worked!" He scoffed. He closed on the two as Neil shrieked in panic.

"GWEN, NOW!" Nikki shouted. On cue, Gwen shot through the door, dart gun at the ready.

*PFFT!*

Daniel stopped as the dart administered into his arm. He glanced at it for a second before slumping forward and hitting the ground face first, completely out cold.

It was silent, and no one moved a muscle.

David snapped out of this haze and crawled over to Max and worked on undoing his binds. As soon as he freed him he shakily pulled him into a tight, protective hug that Max surprisingly hugged back even with the others accompanying them in the room.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry I let this happen..." David mumbled, weeping. He pulled away so he could observe Max's face. "Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital? Do you need stitches?"

"David..."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have let y-"

"DAVID." Max shook David and he fell speechless. "I'm fine, chill the fuck out."

"But your..." David pointed to Max's neck, where the small cut was still visible.

"Relax, it's just a tiny cut, it'll heal in a couple of days." He reassured. David let out a sigh of relief, but the worry in his face was still as clear as day.

"Okay... But I'm still going to get you checked out at the hospital just in case." Max groaned and rolled his eyes. He knew there was no changing the redhead's decision. He just had to deal with his overprotective father for a while.

David smiled. It was calming to hear his usual pessimist and jaded attitude, especially after a terrifying and dangerous situation.

Nikki, Neil and Gwen joined the two for a brief group hug before fleeing the scene, leaving the unconscious Daniel to the authorities, hopefully, to be sent to a never-ending hell in jail, and hopefully never to be seen again. As they drove away, David's mind was racing with emotions. All of his anxieties and fears of losing Max dwindled as he saw the little boy sitting next to him, safe and sound. He was the most grateful man in the entire world. He had to repay Gwen and the kids for risking their lives to save him and Max or he would probably die of his gratitude. However, as the view of the once lively city grew smaller and smaller, he couldn't help but wonder what the future had in store for them. Where could they go? Would they have to move to a different town or state?

"You know, you could probably move into my town if you want. There's a house for sale right near our street that you could check out." Gwen chimed in as if reading his mind. The offer lingering in his mind had vanished all those worries. "What d'ya say?"

He beamed as bright as the sun.

 

\------------------------------ *EPILOGUE* ------------------------------

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The wild knocking startled Max and David. David ran to answer the door to silence the nonstop knocking.

He chuckled as he saw the familiar green haired girl and the nervous boy at his doorstep once more.

"Can Max come play with us today?" Nikki asked, Neil smiling and nodding.

David turned to face the bored kid hauling in boxes who had halted upon seeing his friends.

"What do you think, Max?" He could already sense the answer as Max dropped everything and ran to the two kids.

"Fuck yeah, let's get the fuck out of here." He exclaimed. Before the trio could run off to continue their shenanigans, David called out to them.

"Just make sure to get Max back by three, I'll need help unpacking all of these boxes!"

"Yeah, whatever!" He called back, the words going through one ear and out of the other.

He smirked as he walked back inside his new house to unpack.

Moving into the house was difficult, as earning the money to afford the house was deemed a massive struggle. However, one he had gotten the funds he purchased the house without a second's hesitation. How couldn't he, it was such a cute house! He loved the brown walls and the red shutters on the windows, and the tiny white door. It was perfect for him! Not to mention the beautiful neighborhood, it was a peaceful reserved area, far far better from the bustling city life. It was a breath of fresh air, a chance at a new life. He hoped he picked out a good school for Max to go to. He hoped he and Max could forget the traumatic events that happened prior and be a happy little family. It was all he ever asked for.

And with a bright smile and a positive attitude, he is going to give it the best darn shot he can give.

 

 

fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im finally done with this shit omg-
> 
> thank you all so much for this wild ride, and i honestly hadnt expected this to blow up as much as it did for my first fanfic
> 
> thanks again and cya!

**Author's Note:**

> ALRIGHT YALL THIS IS MY FIRST FANFIC so excuse my terrible writing skills :’)
> 
> Uhh yeah this took 7 hours to write because I am such a slow writer like holy shit you don’t even know
> 
> Hopefully I’ll be able to get the second chapter out soon
> 
> You can also find this story on wattpad under https://www.wattpad.com/story/164270617-cultpocalypse
> 
> So yeet
> 
> Bye  
> Originally written on 13/10/18


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